A DIPLOMATIC STORM IN A TEAPOT.

Evening Post, Volume LX, Issue 72, 22 September 1900, Page 4 (Supplement)

A DIPLOMATIC STORM IN A TEAPOT.

According to the London Telegraph, all Paris has been laughing over the "Radolin incident,' as it is* called, which resulted from the serious interpretation •which Prince Radolin, the German Ambassador, to Russia, put on what waa nothing more than a neatly turned compliment. At the last Court ball given at St. Petersburg, the brilliant company ■was about to betake itseli to the supperroom, and the Grand Duko Vladimir offered bis arm to a lady who was seated near him for the purpose of escorting her to one of tho little tables which had been reserved for him. She was very eorry, she- replied, but she was already engaged to a member of the German Embassy, whereupon the Prince gallantly remarked, "What a nuisance those (German diplomatists aro!" This was nothing but a neatly turned compliment, simply implying that he had been deprived of a great pleasure by a Teutonic rival, and as such it was naturally taken by the lady for wiose ears alone it was intended. Somebody, however, who was standing by, and who had probably overheard only half of the bi'iei conversation, told a neighbour that the Grand Duke Vladimir had been speaking evil of German diplomatists. What could this portend? Were terriblo complications imminent? Finally, the Prince's Avord^ Tvere repeated to the German Ambassador, possibly with embellishments, and being evidently without any. real comprehension of tho circumstances under which they had been uttered, as he must be too much a man of the world to havo taken umbrage under other conditions at what was simply a pretty speech. However, Prince Radolin committed the absurdity of making a formal complaint to the Grand Duchess Vladimir, who tired up and administereu a very sharp rebuke, saying that she was no longer a German, but was a Russian Princeaj. Still to all appearance quite in the dark as to the true facts of the case, tho German Ambassador nojv betook himself to Count Muravieff, to whom he confided the whole adventure. Count Muravieff, as may readily be believed, being thoroughly behind the scenes, had little difficulty in enlightening Prince Radolin as to the real circumstances under which the pretty speech which had so innocently' led to a diplomatic incident had been uttered, and when he wound up by advising the German Ambassador to apolof;ise to the .Grand Duchess, Prince Radoin, perceiving that he had got himself into a serious scrape, consented to adopt this course as the best way out of a very unpleasant situation. But Count Muravieff and Prince Radolin had both reckoned without the Grand Duchess Vladimir. The Princess, thoroughly nettled, not only declined to receive the visit of the German Ambassador, but indignantly proclaimed her determination to have nothing more to do with him, and to remain away from any party at which ho might be a guest. This, in fact, was a declaration of war to the knife against tho unlucky German Ambassador, who must, moreover, have been particularly chagrined at the fact that a dinner party at the French Embassy, of all others, soon supplied the irate Princess with the desired opportunity of car- ' rying out, her resolution, and, of^hov/ing tho world that she would not meet him. j She alone among tho Grand Duchesses i was absent from this function, which was further graced by the presence of tho Tsar and Tsarina. The Grand Duchess Vladimir left St. Petersburg a day or two later on a visit of a few weeks to Parish and people are asking whether on her return to Russia she will find Prince Radolin still installed at the German Embassy.